Proverbs Pick of the Day

The proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel: 

for teaching shrewdness to the inexperienced,  

knowledge and discretion to a young man.

God gives out Wisdom free, 

is plainspoken in Knowledge and Understanding. 

He’s a rich mine of Common Sense for those who live well, 

a personal bodyguard to the candid and sincere. 

He keeps his eye on all who live honestly, 

and pays special attention to his loyally committed ones.

Trust God from the bottom of your heart; 

don’t try to figure out everything on your own. 

Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; 

he’s the one who will keep you on track. 

Don’t assume that you know it all. 

Run to God! Run from evil! 

Your body will glow with health, 

your very bones will vibrate with life! 

Honor God with everything you own; 

give him the first and the best. 

Your barns will burst, your wine vats will brim over. 

But don’t, dear friend, resent God’s discipline; 

don’t sulk under his loving correction. 

It’s the child he loves that God corrects; 

a father’s delight is behind all this.

The ways of right-living people glow with light; the longer they live, the brighter they shine. 

But the road of wrongdoing gets darker and darker— travelers can’t see a thing; they fall flat on their faces.

For sound advice is a beacon,

good teaching is a light,

moral discipline is a life path.

Dear friend, do what I tell you;

treasure my careful instructions.

Do what I say and you’ll live well.

My teaching is as precious as your eyesight—guard it!

Write it out on the back of your hands;

etch it on the chambers of your heart.

Talk to Wisdom as to a sister.

Treat Insight as your companion.

Listen as Wisdom calls out!

Hear as understanding raises her voice!

For through wisdom your days will be many,

and years will be added to your life.

God is solid backing to a well-lived life, but he calls into question a shabby performance.

A wise son listens to the words of his father. And he does what his father says. But a silly person refuses to listen to anyone. Someone may tell him that he is doing wrong things. But he thinks that it is not important. He laughs about it. 

The life-paths of the prudent lift them progressively heavenward,

delivering them from the death spirals

that keep tugging them downward.

When a man's ways please the LORD,

He maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.

A good friend will tell you when you have done something wrong. 

He will tell you even in front of other people.

That is better than someone who loves you secretly. 

But whoever listens to me will live safely. 

And so he will be really quiet. 

And he will not be afraid of bad things that might happen to him. 

For the Lord gives wisdom;

from his mouth come knowledge and understanding;

he stores up sound wisdom for the upright;

he is a shield to those who walk in integrity,

guarding the paths of justice

and watching over the way of his saints.

Then you will understand righteousness and justice

and equity, every good path.

My child, if sinners try to lead you into sin,

do not follow them.

MY MUSINGS

Our Heavenly Father, and Merciful Creator, urges us to follow Him by saying, "All people everywhere, follow me and be saved. I am God. There is no other God" (Isaiah 45:22). Do not seek after what the world has to offer. Trust Jesus with your life and you will be rewarded, for He promises, " Whoever serves me must follow me. Then my servant will be with me everywhere I am. My Father will honor anyone who serves me" (John 12:26). Seek God in all you do and pray, "do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one" (Matthew 6:13). And if you follow Jesus, and remain in Him and follow His teachings, you can ask anything you want, and it will be given to you (John 15:7), "and my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:19).

Listen carefully to wisdom;

set your mind on understanding.

Don’t depend on your own wisdom.

Respect the Lord and refuse to do wrong.

My children, listen to your father’s teaching;

pay attention so you will understand.

The words of another man’s wife may seem sweet as honey;

they may be as smooth as olive oil.

But in the end she will bring you sorrow,

causing you pain like a two-edged sword.

She is on the way to death;

her steps are headed straight to the grave.

She gives little thought to life.

She doesn’t even know that her ways are wrong.

Now, my sons, listen to me,

and don’t ignore what I say.

Stay away from such a woman.

Don’t even go near the door of her house,

People don’t hate a thief

when he steals because he is hungry.

But if he is caught, he must pay back seven times what he stole,

and it may cost him everything he owns.

MY MUSINGS

God calls us to behave better than our current circumstances and to trust Him to provide. We may have a good reason to do something dishonest, but God's Word assures us that "it is better to be poor and honest than to be foolish and tell lies (Proverb 19:1 NCV). Taking what God has not provided for you is not the life of someone who trusts Him, but of someone who wants to do things their own way in their own time. Proverbs 16:19 tells us, "It is better to be humble and be with those who suffer than to share stolen property with the proud." Doing what's wrong, even for the "right" reasons, can cause you to lose everything you were doing it for: family, finances, and freedom. As Peter explains, "Sometimes God may let you have trouble and pain even when you have done good things. But that is better than if you have trouble and pain because you have done bad things (I Peter 3:17)."  Do not let your hunger for something nor your passion for someone that does not belong to you cost you all you have been given.

For those who trust God know, "what he gives in love is far better than anything else you'll find. It's common knowledge that “God goes against the willful proud; God gives grace to the willing humble (James 4:6)"' 

Once while I was at the window of my house

I looked out through the shutters

and saw some foolish, young men.

I noticed one of them had no wisdom.

MY MUSINGS-Scripture

And if anyone longs to be wise, ask God for wisdom and he will give it! 

He won’t see your lack of wisdom as an opportunity to scold you over your failures but he will overwhelm your failures with his generous grace (James 1:5 TPT).

Every wise woman encourages and builds up her family,

but a foolish woman over time will tear it down by her own actions.